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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Soul Sisters

"Marilla," she demanded presently, "do you think that I shall ever have a bosom friend in Avonlea?""A--a what kind of friend?""A bosom friend--an intimate friend, you know--a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul. I've dreamed of meeting her all my life. I never really supposed I would, but so many of my loveliest dreams have come true all at once that perhaps this one will, too. Do you think it's possible?"

There I was, just starting my sophomore year of college. I had just come through a really rough freshman year: my mom had passed away, I was far away from home, and I had yet to feel truly incorporated into a group of friends. It started with a simple conversation about music. We found that we both loved the Queen of Song and with that, our friendship was permanently cemented. So began some of the best years of my life.

My brother-in-law calls Yola my “soul sister”—twin sisters separated at birth. We share so many interests. We love: British drama, music, young adult literature, good food, the company of close friends vs. a crowd, a sense of the ridiculousness to name a few. Some of my best memories, I share with her:

Midnight dance parties in her roomDriving in the car with Neil playingMeat MondaysFriday night movies with frozen pizza and black cherry sodaStalking Museum BoyReading YA books out loud--complete with accentsContinuous British accentsIrish Personalities: Maggie and FionaCooking together in the pink houseDriving across the country in Jean Louise

Yola is my favorite movie watching companion. She will cry with me and then laugh hysterically at me when my sobs become audible gasps for air. Since we love the same movies, she understands my constant allusions to movie lines in my daily conversation. Only today, I used one of my favorites: “shot down like dogs” and wished that she was there to share the joke with.

She is understanding, sympathetic, cool, nice, funny, witty, brilliant, incredibly talented and a billion other fabulous adjectives. I love talking with her and miss her terribly. I absolutely hate being 3000 miles away.

Yola, I am so glad that you and I are friends. I thank God every day that we met and became friends. I hope that you have the bestest, most wonderful of birthdays!